Poor services: UITH resident doctors begin warning strike

The Association of Resident Doctors (ARD), University of Ilorin Teaching Hospital (UITH), on Thursday began a four-day warning strike over the alleged deplorable state of the hospital.

This is contained in a statement signed by Dr Anaduaka Obinna, the branch General Secretary of ARD-UITH.

Obinna said the strike option was activated over an alleged increase of deaths of patients due to the shambolic state of the hospital.

He alleged that the hospital was in crisis and its shambolic state resulted in an acute increase in mortality and which came close home with one of their members, Dr Tolulope Alabi’s dead.

According to him, the decision of the association to embark on the warning strike action arose from the emergency general meeting.

Obinna stated that patient morbidity and mortality were on the rise due to erratic power supply, lack of basic consumables in pharmacies, poor state of hospital equipment, and lack of other basic amenities, including water supply.

He noted that these challenges had resulted in the compromise on the integrity of services from labs such as blood for transfusion, fresh frozen plasma, and even basic lab results.

He stated that there was a severe deterioration in oxygen supply which had resulted in numerous mortalities within the hospital with many quotable cases.

The ARD secretary also noted that most of these problems had lingered over the last four years with little achieved in the area of solutions.

He stated that ARD-UITH had written the management of the hospital of these challenges affecting the delivery of quality medical services, safety and training of doctors and other staff many times.

“The response received from the hospital management has been largely unsatisfactory and results from steps taken by management have often yielded transient and inadequate improvements,” he said.

Obinna also alleged that the delivery suite, obstetrics and gynaecology emergency was in a state of crisis with erratic power and water supplies.

He also listed poor oxygen supply and limited faulty equipment constituting health hazards to both the patient and the healthcare workers, and resulting in mortality of mother and child.

“There is poor and shambolic hygienic state of the hospital premises with exposed sewages, busted drains and poor level of cleanliness due to lack of basic amenities such as water supply, among others,” he said.

He stated that the association demanded an instant and permanent resolution to the power and water crisis to ensure adequate service was delivered.

“There should also be an adequate supply of therapeutic oxygen to all areas where it is required at all times, return of the drug revolving committee activities and mandatory quarterly meetings to review performance, among others.”

However, the management of the hospital is yet to react to this development even as Mrs Elizabeth Ajiboye, the UITH’s Head of Corporate Affairs, did not pick up calls nor respond to text messages sent to her in order to get the official position.